EPA
Region 6
Dallas, Texas
DRAFT
EPA Perspectives
In Watershed
Planning
Mike Bira
USEPA Region 6
NPS Program
bira.mike@epa.gov
214-665-6668
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Clean Water Act (CWA)
Federal law promulgated in 1972. Applies to
surface water – lakes, rivers, streams, coastal
areas
Uses regulatory and non-regulatory tools to
protect and restore the nation’s waters
Goals:
reduce direct pollutant discharges into waterways,
finance municipal wastewater treatment facilities,
and manage polluted runoff
restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and
biological integrity of the nation's waters so that they
can support "the protection and propagation of fish,
shellfish, and wildlife and recreation in and on the
water."
Water Quality-Based
Approach
Establish Water
Quality Standards
Implement water
quality controls –
point sources and
nonpoint sources
Develop
Watershed
Plans and
TMDLs
Monitor and
Assess waters
based on WQ
standards
Identify
impaired/threatened
waters
(303(d) List)
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Surface Water Quality Standards
• Beneficial Uses
– fishing
– swimming
– public water
supplies
• Criteria to protect these uses
• Antidegradation policy to limit
additional water pollution
Adopted by State, Reviewed by EPA
Water Quality CRITERIA
Numeric Criteria
Chloride - 250 mg/l
Lead - 5 ug/l
Narrative Criteria
"Toxic chemicals shall not
be present in toxic amounts"
"No objectionable algal densities
or nuisance aquatic vegetation"
What is An Impaired Water
EPA defines an impaired waterbody as one
that does not meet water quality criteria that
support its designated use. The criteria
might be numeric and specify concentration,
duration, and recurrence intervals for
various parameters, or they might be
narrative and describe required conditions
such as the absence of scum, sludge, odors,
or toxic substances. If the waterbody is
impaired it is placed on the section 303(d)
list. For each pollutant listed, the state or
tribe must develop a restoration target called
a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL).
What Can Happen to a 303(d) listed
Waterbody
• The waterbody has a TMDL submitted and
approved within 8 to 13 years and is delisted.
• The waterbody is restored and meets WQSs
and is delisted.
• The waterbody is reassessed and is found to
be meeting WQSs and is delisted.
• WQSs are changed, the waterbody is
reassessed and is found to be meeting WQSs
and is delisted.
Total Maximum Daily Load
- TMDL • A tool for implementing State Water
Quality Standards
• Establishes allowable pollutant
loadings for a water body
• Provides basis for States to establish
water quality based controls
• Addresses both Point Source and
Nonpoint Source Pollution
TMDL Definition
Sum of Loads = Assimilative Capacity
SWLA + SLA + {MOS} = TMDL
Point source loads + nonpoint source loads + MOS = TMDL
WLA = wasteload allocation
(point source loads)
LA = load allocation
(nonpoint source and background loads)
MOS = margin of safety (explicit or implicit)
TMDL = total maximum daily load
A watershed plan is a document used to
resolve and prevent water quality
problems that result from both point
source and nonpoint source contributors.
These plans are intended both to provide
an analytical framework to restore water
quality in impaired waters and to protect
water quality in other waters adversely
affected or threatened by pollutant
sources.
Why Watershed Plans Fail to
Achieve Desired Goals
 Planning activities conducted at too great of a
scale.
 Plan was a one-time study rather than long-term
management process.
 Lack of stakeholder involvement and ownership.
 Skirting of real land use/management issues.
 Plan was too long or complex.
 Recommendations were too general.
 Failure to identify and address conflicts.
Source: Center for Watershed Protection
Translate and Communicate !!
Steps In Watershed Planning
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The Nine Elements that Must Be
Included in a 319 Watershed Plan
1. ID causes & sources of pollution – TMDL feature
2. Estimate load reductions expected – TMDL feature
3. Describe mgmt measures & targeted critical
areas – TMDL feature
4. Estimate technical and financial assistance
needed
5. Develop education component
6. Develop schedule – TMDL option
7. Describe measurable milestones – TMDL option
8. ID indicators to measure progress
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9. Develop a monitoring component – TMDL option
Comparison of Watershed Plans and
TMDL Components
Watershed Plan Components
TMDL Components
1.
Build partnerships
1.
Provide opportunity for
public involvement
2.
Characterize the watershed
2.
Identify the problem
•
•
•
•
ID waterbody, impairments,
study boundaries
Gather and analyze data
ID causes and sources
Estimate loads
•
•
•
•
ID waterbody, impairments,
study boundaries
Present data analysis
ID causes and sources
Estimate loads
Comparison of Watershed Plans and
TMDL Components continued
TMDL Components
Watershed Plan Components
3.
Sets goals and ID solutions
•
•
•
•
Develop indicators/targets
Determine load reductions
ID critical areas
Develop management
measures to achieve goals
3.
Identify water quality targets and
goals and allocate loads
•
•
•
•
•
ID applicable WQS/targets
ID critical areas and seasonality
Describe technical analysis used in
load estimation, load reduction,
modeling, etc.
Allocate acceptable loads between
point and nonpoint sources
(WLAs, LAs)
Provide for a margin of safety
(MOS)
Comparison of Watershed Plans and
TMDL Components continued
Watershed Plan Components
4.
Design an implementation
program
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Develop an implementation
schedule
Develop interim milestones
Develop criteria to measure
progress
Develop monitoring
component
Develop educational
component
ID technical /financial
assistance
Assign responsibility
TMDL Components
4.
Provide a monitoring and
restoration strategy –
Optional except for phasedTMDLs
•
•
•
WLAs implemented through
NPDES permits
LAs implemented through
voluntary and incentive based
programs
Monitoring and restoration
information encouraged but
not required unless the
TMDL is phased
EPA Watershed Tools

www.epa.gov

www.epa.gov/healthywatersheds

www.epa.gov/owow/watershedplanning

Surf Your Watershed

Watershed Academy

Watershed Plan Builder
Newest News
Two EPA watershed products released 2013:
 A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans
to Restore and Protect Our Waters
http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/upload
watershed mgmt quick guide.pdf
 An Introduction to Watershed Planning
http://cfpub.epa.gov/watertrain/moduleFrame.cf
m?module
EPA Watershed Central Wiki

Wiki.epa.gov

Interactive site with Wiki format

Allows users to add new H2Oshed programs
and input new info to existing sites
THOUGHT FOR
THE DAY
Never criticize someone unless you
have walked a mile in their shoes.
That way, when you do criticize them,
you’re a mile away.
And you have their shoes.
Questions?
Comments?
www.epa.gov/owow/nps/watershed_handbook/
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